Before the Cybercab event in Austin, Tesla launched an expression of interest form to inquire whether external organizations are interested in participating in the development of its robotaxi network. While this does not confirm that the company has decided to sell autonomous vehicles externally, it at least indicates a shift in its expansion strategy from fully owned operations toward partnering with external parties.
Transition from individual owner sharing to fleet operations
Elon Musk has long spoken about a low-cost, large-scale robotaxi network. The early vision primarily centered around individual car owners. As far back as 2016, he proposed that Tesla owners with autonomous driving software could, in the future, connect their vehicles to a platform and earn income by making them available for ride-hailing during periods of inactivity.
This concept later became known as the Tesla Network. At Autonomy Day in 2019, Musk also stated that owners could add their autonomous vehicles to Tesla’s own ride-hailing app, similar to how drivers join ride-sharing platforms. In 2020, he publicly predicted that Tesla would launch autonomous robotaxis in select regions the following year.
However, this model was never fully implemented. Since then, Tesla has shifted its focus to testing and self-operated services, initially using the Model Y for robotaxi testing and later transitioning to the specially designed Cybercab.
The form signals a cooperative intent.
The newly launched interest form includes statements such as “help us build a robotaxi network,” suggesting that Tesla may no longer be committed to full in-house operations and is considering opening certain operational aspects to external parties.
- Purchase the Cybercab fleet
- Build transportation hubs and infrastructure
- Participate in event partnerships or other forms
Currently, Tesla has not specified what specific model it will adopt in the future, nor has it disclosed whether third parties can directly own vehicles, operate them independently, or assume only partial management responsibilities.
There are already competitors in the fleet management sector.
As the robotaxi market heats up, companies specializing in autonomous fleet management are increasing. TechCrunch notes that African fintech company Moove is expanding its autonomous fleet management business. The company originally focused primarily on providing vehicle financing for ride-hailing drivers.
Moove raised $2.5 billion last month, reaching a $21 billion valuation. The company currently provides fleet operations services for Waymo in Phoenix, Miami, and Las Vegas, with plans to expand to London. Its CEO previously told TechCrunch that the company also intends to own these vehicles in the future.
Besides Moove, Uber has also partnered with fleet management companies such as Avomo and New Horizon in its push into the robotaxi market, while traditional car rental companies like Avis and Hertz are similarly seeking opportunities in this space.
If Tesla ultimately opens the Cybercab to external fleet operators, more small and medium-sized operators could enter the market. This would help Tesla expand its network faster and accelerate the growth of its robotaxi business.